Republican Justin Murphy of Tabernacle wants to be New Jersey’s next United States Senator.

He’s running.

“I filed with the FEC to seek the Republican nomination for NJ’s US Senate seat up this year,” the Burlington diehard told InsiderNJ. “I have a Kickoff Event this evening from 5-8pm – Medford Community Center.”

His statement and resume:

I enthusiastically offer this written commitment to the people of New Jersey, with the intention to promote a clear understanding of my belief system, and where I stand on the issues.  Therefore, I pledge the following:

OUR CAMPAIGN IS DEDICATED TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA’S MILITARY

1. Taxes.  Advocacy for abolishing the IRS and instituting a Flat-Tax.  I believe America needs a system of taxation that provides economic security for our middle-class, social mobility for our working poor, reward for business and job creation, and risk taking.  As citizens, our relationship with the federal government is defined by our system of taxation.  When government takes excessive amounts of what we create, produce, and earn, that relationship is strained.  I advocate a Flat-Tax rate of 12%, eventually sliding down to 10%, to promote the economic growth needed in coming decades as we face more potent global competition.  I believe we should abolish the capital gains tax in its entirety, all estate and death taxes (when you leave this earth, the IRS should not follow you), and the AMT.

2. Economy.  Americans’ are laboring under record high inflation, high interest rates, record high credit card debt, record high car repossessions, record high federal debt and federal deficits.  To change the direction of America’s economy, we need pro-growth policies, balanced budgets, and American energy independence.

3. National Security.  America’s military should always remain second-to-none. As we were made painfully aware on October 7^th, 2023, radical islamic terrorism is still a threat to civilized nations.  The hard truth is that America faces an array of hostile foreign threats: Communist government of China; Iran, North Korea, and Iran.  Human development is being threatened by terrorists and communist dictators that share the objective of knocking off America as the World’s Super Power.  America’s military should have the capacity to fight and win two wars simultaneously.

4. Immigration.  There is no greater crisis threatening America today, than the Biden administration’s open border policies.  I believe Americans’ want our borders secured.  Understanding this, I believe we should conclude construction of the southern border wall started by the Trump Administration.  I also believe in securing our northern border with Canada, and drastically reforming our VISA system to be able to track VISA holders including students.  I believe in withholding federal aid to cities and states that declare themselves ‘sanctuary for illegal aliens’.  I support section 287 (g) of the INA (Immigration & Nationality Act) to permit more state and local law enforcement involvement in immigration enforcement.  Further, given the Biden Administration’s border policy has resulted in drug cartels controlling the southern border with Mexico, I believe we need to station the U.S. Military on our border to regain control.

5. Pro-Life policies.  I am pro-life; I believe life begins at conception, and there is inherent value in each individual life.  My exceptions are the life of the mother, and the rape/incest exceptions.  I believe our government should promote a culture that values innocent human life.  I oppose tax dollars funding abortion.  I support parental notification, the ban on partial birth abortion, and pro adoption policies.

6. Crime.   American cities should be centers of vibrant commerce, culture, and social life.  However, Urban America is deteriorating with business and citizen flight, crime, homelessness, drugs, and filth.  Urban residents are experiencing a declining quality of life.  Sanctuary cities serve as a magnet for illegal aliens and criminal activity.  The crime issue is complex, however, we can make great strides in reducing crime and violence afflicting American cities: Secure our border; stop the flow of fentanyl; deport criminal aliens; bring federal charges against criminals when state and local prosecutors fail to enforce criminal codes.

7. Health Care.  I agree with those who want universal health coverage for Americans, however, I adamantly oppose government-run healthcare.  I believe the principles of privacy, quality, accessibility, and affordability should be the basis for any healthcare policy. I will advocate legislation that:

Ensures every American should own a Health Savings Account – these health care tools are portable, not employer owned, private, and can be left to the owners’ heirs as a way of insuring family members

Promotes Competition – allow all Americans to purchase health insurance from any insurance company in the country, creating a national insurance market. Currently Americans’ and their employers are constrained by having access only to insurers in their home states.  We need competition nationally.  Competition raises quality and reduces costs.

Seriously Combats Waste, Fraud, and Abuse – It is estimated that Medicare and Medicaid are afflicted with approximately 100-billion dollars a year in Fraud and Abuse.  This astronomical amount of money siphoned from our health care system is unconscionable. We need to create a special Medicare & Medicaid Fraud Unit, provide substantial financial rewards for information leading to a Fraud conviction, and enact severe penalties for abuse of the system.  All dollars recouped from fraud and abuse should be recycled into the Medicare system to keep Medicare solvent.

1. Advocacy for Second Amendment Rights.  I will oppose any attempt by the government that threatens to take away our Constitutional right to bear arms and protect ourselves, our families, and our property.  I will oppose all attempts to suppress 2A rights whether from domestic or international bodies.

2. Advocacy for excellence in education.  Given the attempt by the left to sexualize children through public school curriculum, the Republican Party has an extraordinary opportunity to establish itself as the ‘Party-of-Parents.’  Parents control their children’s education – there is no co-parenting arrangement between government and parents, period.  I am pro education; we have no future without a vibrant public education system.  I believe in school choice and competition between all schools as a way to strengthen our education system.  Competition works, and has made the American economy the most successful known to human civilization.  I advocate the complete abolition of the Federal Department of Education, and that their annual budget of approximately 100-billion dollars be equally divided among each individual and local school board, solely for public education funding.  This would inject billions-of-dollars directly into public education for each state.  This would provide a real solution for New Jersey’s problem of over-reliance on property taxes to fund public education.

3. Advocacy for complete energy independence. I believe we should develop the almost limitless sources of energy known to be located right here in America.  Specifically, in just three states in the American West (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming) America has in shale oil three times the amount of proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.  Trillions of dollars of assets that could be added to our economy are instead being sent overseas greatly aggravating our trade imbalance and weakening our dollar.  Tens-of-thousands of union blue-collar jobs are not being created because we refuse to develop our own energy supplies.  I want to create wealth for our economy, and create these jobs so our middle class has the economic opportunity and security they deserve.  We need to safely extract these resources to forever end our dependence on foreign oil, especially from the Middle East.  I also support the development of alternative fuel production technologies and the continued development of solar power.  I also strongly support the expansion of nuclear power in the U.S.  If development of domestic energy sources cannot be accomplished in an environmentally responsible manner, I will not support development of that particular source/project.

4. Advocacy for fiscal discipline.  I want to establish a Grace Commission, similar to the one President Reagan created in 1981, to identify waste, fraud, and beauacratic duplication.  The results will be submitted to congress in a manner similar to the successful BRAC (Base Realignment).  Congress would vote up or down on the recommendations.  BRAC was successful in removing waste from the DOD budget; we need to do the same for federal spending. I support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Statement

As I was honored to do in 2008 and 2010, I dedicate this campaign to the men and women of our armed forces.  I firmly believe the American Military is the greatest force for good on this planet, save religious institutions.  God Bless America’s heroes; the sacrifices they make for us are too numerous to mention; we need to continue to honor and remember them and their family members who sacrifice so much for America.

I have a two-word answer as to why I am running for U.S. Senate: I care. I care that we are a secure and prosperous nation. I care about our country’s culture and how much of our paychecks is taken by the federal government.  I care about our country’s education system and if middle class jobs are lost to overseas competitors.

The first priority for me, should I be blessed to serve as your United States Senator, is to promote policies that will bring America out of the current economic malaise and start our economic engines running again.  As a self-employed small businessman, I have fought through numerous recessions, like millions of Americans.  I fully understand the anxieties the self-employed tax-payer struggles with daily.  I will vigorously pursue policies that will promote private-sector job growth, tax reductions, across the board spending reductions, domestic energy development, and regulatory reform so that businesses will stay, expand, and grow on American soil.

As Senator, I not only want to see the NJ Pinelands (my home) kept pristine, the Jersey Shore kept pollution free, and our seniors with the best Medicare program available, I will bring a very focused national and international dimension to the voter.  I will convey my core Conservative principles with energy and optimism to reenergize our party.  My campaign represents a new day in New Jersey politics.

Being self-employed my adult life, I can easily identify with main-street, middle-class voters.  I know firsthand financial struggle, debt, and stress.  I know the long hours and countless weeks without a paycheck that many small business owners experience as a normal part of their working adult lives.  Simply put, small business owners will have no better friend in Washington.

America faces serious challenges in the coming years.  I am asking you to place an extraordinary amount of trust in me to be your voice in Washington.  I run with the knowledge that America is the most blessed gift God gave to our world.  We are a nation facing numerous threats – radical Islamic terrorism, culture war, hostile foreign governments – China, Russia, and Iran, and rampant crime.  We are a nation with severe economic issues – debt, deficit, inflation, credit card debt, economic insecurity. It is unacceptable to the American people that we continue to stagnate in this malaise. The federal government spends trillions of dollars every year; we need clarity and vision on how this money is spent.  We are dangerously dependent on foreign sources of energy; this is completely unacceptable to me.  I will advocate and fight to make America energy independent.  My life’s experiences allow me to easily identify with the struggles the middle class and small business owners experience every day.  If nominated and elected, I will hang a framed copy of my Senate Pledge, I am making to you, in my D.C. office.  Public service, not politics, is what motivates a 21^st Century American Senator.

Age: 58
Currently Resides: Tabernacle, NJ; since 1978.  Being raised in the Pinelands of Southern New Jersey has been one of the greatest Blessings of my life.
Employment: Self-employed; Attorney; Author; Navy Veteran

Work History

Attorney – areas of practice: Estate, Real Estate, Contracts, Energy.  Practicing since 2006.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 200
I represented New Jersey’s Corrections Officers, Juvenile Justice Officers, and Parole

Officers in Administrative Law matters.  This is the best attorney job I have had.  I have the utmost respect for our Law Enforcement community.

Regional Capital Group/MidAtlantic EB-5 Regional Center

Business Development Officer for financing of large-scale development projects. Contract and business plan editing; liaison to government economic development agencies.

Energy Development Consultant for Renewable Energy Projects

Public Policy Consultant, Office of The Public Advocate, State of Delaware

Utility Company regulatory issues; represented the Public Advocate on RGGI, Governor’s Energy Advisory Council; Land-Use attorney for grid connected Photovoltaic generation systems.  Energy Policy Management and Consulting.

Medford Gym & Aerobic Center, Inc.

My first small business venture.  Start-up at age 26.  I learned many lessons being self-employed: long hours, sacrifice, and hardship.  My admiration for America’s small business owners is without limits; they will have no better friend in Washington DC than Senator Justin Michael Murphy. October 1991 – executed sale of business in May 2002.

United States Navy
Enlisted at age 17; Served four years – USS Comte De Grasse (DD 974); Honorable discharge; Served 6-months in the Arabian/Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war.  Served 1983–1987.

Education
Bachelor of Arts – Political Science; Rowan University (Rowan College of NJ)
Juris Doctor; Law Degree from Widener University School of Law, Wilmington, DE.

Masters of Arts (not concluded); Villanova University-Political Science

LL.M.; University of Oklahoma School of Law – Energy and Natural Resources